Reinforced concrete construction.



UNITED sTATEs yruf-ITENT oEEIoE.

WALTHER EASTER, OF CHICAGOLILLINOIS.

anmrononn conci-ETE CONSTRUCTION. l

No. 921,6a6.

rIhis invention relates to a novel reinforced concrete construction and more particularly to a concrete beam7 the robject being to provide a device of this character which is comparatively light in proportion to its strength and is lequipped with means for readily handling the same and with means for assing and supporting ducts such as gas an water pipes and electric wires, and consists in the features of construction and-'combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In 'the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure -1- is a central verticalflongitudinal section of a beam constructed in accordance with my invention showing the same mounted between two floor joists. Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary 1View on an enlarged scale showing one end of the beam and the manner of reinforcing the same. Fig. --3- is a fragmentary transverse section of a floor composed of beams construct-ed in accordance with my 'invention. Fig. -4- is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing a modified form of construction. Fig. -5- is a fragmentary top plan view of a beam showing the upper reinforcing. rods looped at theirends.

The growing use of reinforced concrete in buildings has demonstrated that unless this material is mixed by skilled persons and properly applied, accidents are not unlikely to result.

The usual method employed in constructing the horizontal partitions of buildings, constituting the floors, is to construct molds bordered by the beams into which the concrete is introduced and allowed to set, whereupon the mold bottom or support is removed and the molded body then constitutes a slab. The 'strength of the slab is dependent upon many wel known contingencies and even thou h very carefully made of the best materia s its actual carrying capacity remains problematical in view of the absolute lack of any thoroughly reliable data on the strength Specification of Letters Patent.

Application also June 22, 190s. serial No. 439,730.

lPatenlsed'ay V11, l1909.

of reinforced concrete. In view'fof this it is customary among engineers to specify thicknesses which are unquestionably safe with reasonable care in construction, and as a consequence excessive wei ht results, where probably, economy coul( bc exercised without danger.

The object of my present invention is to provide .a substitute for molded slab and ear-n sections in the shape of beams which can be made and tested at the factory before shipment and installation, whereby uni-l formity of materials and methods is assuredv and weight minimized.

The beams are preferably of inverted U- sha )e in cross sectionv and comprise the web or s ab A and the fianges .or legs B, the latter being connected at intervals by cross flanges C. The lsaid beam is reinforced by embedded steel rods D extending longitudinally through the free'end portions of the flanges or legs B and similar but considerably li liter rods E extending longitudinally throng the elbow portions of the beams, said rods being primarily connected together by means of wires F secured vat their ends to the rods D' and between their ends coiled around the rods E, said wires F being disposed at inter-- vals according to requirement of stresses parallel with each other and either perpendicular or inclined relatively to said rods D and E.

The heavy rods D take up the tensile stressesl in the flanges or legs B of the beams.

The portions of the wires F lying between the rods E serve to take up tensile stresses in the slab A, the said rods E serving to distribute and transmit such stresses. Thus the slab A becomes a compression member longitudinally and laterally, the tensile stresses which would mainly be felt in the lower part of said slab being taken up by the said wires F which are embedded below the middle thereof. The ribs C further support the slab and take u i lateral stresses thereon, and serve to distri ute the load. The said beams are mounted side by side to form av the slots K and L and engagel said ribs of lesser rojection, said anchors serving to secure slide ers O and the hangers N to secure a ceilin suspended below the beams.

The earns are supported at their ends on the joists Q which in the instance illustrated consist of' steel I-beams.

The concrete beams are relatively very heavy and correspondingly difficult to handle, hence, it is essential that the weight be considered in providing means for mounting the beams. The latter are made .of less length than the shortest distance between the webs of opposed I-beams but preferably longer than the distance between the free edges of the opposed flanges of" op osed beams so that the concrete beam may e inclined and one endthereof swung underneath one flange of an I-beam and the other end then lowered to pass the flange of the other I-beam as the concrete beam assumes a horizontal position. The latter is then moved longitudinally until centered between the I-beams. On the lower op nosed flanges of the latter are mounted chair locks R having beveled upper faces u on which the beveled ends of the concrete earns rest, the latter thus serving to hold said chair blocks in place. p

The slab portions of the beams project above the upper faces of the I-beams and are cut away at their upper end corners to provide free spaces S into which grouting is introduced, the latter filling the spaces between the webs of the I-beams and the ends of the concrete beams. The sleepers shown in Fig. -3- extend transversely to the concrete beams on which they rest and the anchors securing the same are provided at their upper ends with eyes through which nails are preferably driven. Where transversely disposed sleepers are used it is necessary or at least customary to fill up the spaces therebetween with einders, etc., to deaden noise. To avoid this, the upper corners of the beams may be cut away to provide recesses for the reception of sleepers W which are anchored in place by means of toggle bolts X.

.lecesses Y are provided in the grooved ends l` of the concrete beams to receive the upper flanges of the I-beams, said recesses bemg also filled with grouting which covers the said I-beams. thus firmly secured in place and the I-beams com letely embedded betwe'en chair blocks and y the grouting. l

The rods E ro'ect at their ends from the ends of the sla and are bent back to reenter the same thereby forming loops U which receive the legs of inverted U-shaped anchors V passing over the I-beams and serving to connect beams disposed on op osite sides of the I-beams, said anchors ecoming embedded in the grouting previously referred to.

It will be noted that the flanges B are provided with openings Y for the passage of pipes and wires, and openings Z are provided in the slab to afford suitable means for handling the beams.

I claim as my invention:

1. An inverted U-shaped beam equipped in the free end portions of its flan es and in its elbow portion with\ embedded ongitudinally disposed reinforcing rods, and having embedded therein transverse reinforcing wires secured at their ends to the rod-s in the flanges and secured between their ends to the rods in the elbow portions said connections between said rods and said wires being made by winding the latter around the former.

2. -An inverted U-shaped beam equipped in the freeend portions of its flanges and in its elbow portion with embedded longitudinally disposed reinforcing rods, and having embedded therein transverse reinforcing wires secured at their ends to the rods in the flanges and secured between their ends t'ol the rods in the elbow portions, said rods in the free ends of' said flanges being of greater thickness than said rods in said elbow portions and said connections between said rods and said wires being made by winding the latter around the former.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTHER RASTER. Witnesses RUDOLPH WM. Lorz, E. L. MOORE.

The concrete beams are 

